Red Chamber 23

The unmarried young ladies had all left—well, the maids didn't count.

Zhang then told Lady Jia Shi and Wang about Jia Zhen's scandalous behavior with her two sisters-in-law.

Upon hearing that Jia Zhen had pushed a woman he had grown tired of onto his own nephew, Wang was so furious that she spun the prayer beads in her hand incessantly.

"Master Liu was too lenient with his beating," Lady Wang said. "Zhen really needs to be taught a harsher lesson."

Lady Jia Shi nodded. "It is just a pity that his father has already passed; there is no one left who can keep him in check."

Although Jia Zheng and Jia She were Jia Zhen's elders, they could not control him.

Jia Zhen was the head of the Ningguo Mansion, not a member of the Rongguo Mansion, and he simply did not submit to the authority of the Rongguo Mansion.

Lady Jia Shi even felt a twinge of regret for conspiring with Jia Zhen to support Commandery Prince Yizhong.

With a personality like Jia Zhen's, could he really accomplish anything?

After the incident with You Sanjie, Mother Liu felt that she needed to settle Liu Xianglian's marriage as soon as possible to prevent him from being targeted by other disreputable women.

But Liu Xianglian had declared that he must marry a great beauty; if she wasn't stunning, he wouldn't have her.

Mother Liu had a headache. Where in the world were there so many great beauties?

Liu Jiaying said, "The young ladies of the Rongguo Mansion are all great beauties."

Mother Liu certainly knew that the young ladies of the Jia family were beautiful.

But since Jia Yuanchun was the eldest daughter-in-law of the Liu family, it was impossible for the Jia family to marry another daughter into the Liu family.

Liu Jiaying said, "I know of a young lady who is a great beauty and extremely talented, comparable to Miss Lin."

Mother Liu's interest was piqued.

Mother Liu had met Lin Daiyu and knew how beautiful she was and how exceptional her literary talent was.

None of the legitimate daughters of the Jia family could compare to Lin Daiyu; only Xue Baochai of the Xue family could rival her.

But the young lady of the Xue family had already entered the palace.

Jia Yuanchun asked her daughter, "What beauty have you discovered this time, you little girl?"

Liu Jiaying said loudly, "She really is a beauty, Mother. You have met her before."

Jia Yuanchun was puzzled. "I have met her?"

Liu Jiaying said, "Yes, it's the second young lady of the Xue family, Xue Baoqin! The Old Ancestor likes the second Miss Xue very much and even had Grandmother adopt her as a goddaughter."

Jia Yuanchun realized, "Baoqin is indeed beautiful, and she is exceptionally talented with profound insight."

Mother Liu felt tempted.

If the second Miss Xue was truly as good as Jia Yuanchun described, she could indeed be married into the family as a wife for her youngest son.

They did not care that the Xue girl came from a merchant family.

As long as the girl herself had a good character and proper upbringing, that was enough.

Moreover, the dowry of a merchant's daughter was usually very generous.

Her youngest son would only inherit thirty percent of the family estate when the property was divided later, so marrying a wife with a substantial dowry would be for the best.

Just as Mother Liu was about to suggest finding a matchmaker to propose to the Xue family, Jia Yuanchun spoke up, "But sister Baoqin is already betrothed."

Mother Liu was deeply disappointed.

Liu Jiaying said, "But I heard that the family the second Miss Xue is betrothed to has no intention of honoring the marriage contract."

Jia Yuanchun asked, "Was this from Jiqiu again?"

Liu Jiaying replied, "No, I heard it from passersby when I went out to buy candied hawthorns. Those two seemed to be servants from the household of Hanlin Mei. Oh, Hanlin Mei is the head of the family that is betrothed to the Xue family."

Jia Yuanchun frowned. "The Mei family wants to break the engagement? Why haven't I heard the Xue family mention it?"

Liu Jiaying said, "It is very likely that the Xue family doesn't know either."

Mother Liu said, "If the man's side wants to break the engagement but doesn't inform the woman's side, are they trying to drag it out so the woman loses patience and initiates the withdrawal herself?"

Liu Jiaying gave Mother Liu a thumbs-up. "Grandmother guessed correctly."

Jia Yuanchun thought for a moment, then had Baoqin call for Jiqiu and instructed her to investigate the affairs of Hanlin Mei's household.

Baoqin was her god-sister, after all; she could not let her be bullied.

Two days later, Jiqiu reported the information she had gathered to the women of the Liu family.

"The Mei family is indeed planning to use delaying tactics to force the Xue family to withdraw from the marriage. Their entire family has already packed their luggage and is preparing to leave the capital. Master Mei has secured an official post outside the city."

"The marriage between the Mei family and the Xue family was arranged before Master Mei had passed the imperial examinations. At that time, Master Xue saved the destitute Master Mei and funded his travel to the capital for the exams. Master Mei was grateful for the Xue family's life-saving grace, so he arranged the marriage between his son and the second Miss Xue."

"The one most opposed to this marriage is Madam Mei. She considers her own family to be of official status and believes the second Miss Xue, being from a merchant family, is unworthy of her son, so she proposed this idea of dragging the second Miss Xue along. A girl's youth cannot be wasted, but it doesn't have much impact if a man marries a few years later."

"Master Mei simply did not oppose this idea."

"Hmph," Jia Yuanchun sneered. "Not opposing it is the same as agreeing. What ungrateful wretches."

Mother Liu also felt nothing but contempt for the Mei family.

They were truly trying to act like saints while behaving like whores.

To treat the daughter of their savior like this after achieving success—they are nothing but ungrateful wretches!

Jiqiu continued to describe how disgusting the Mei Family was: "That Young Master Mei already has an eldest son born of a concubine, fathered with the niece of Madam Mei's own family. Madam Mei took it upon herself to make her own niece her son's second wife. However, aside from the Mei Family and Madam Mei's maiden family, this matter has not been made public. Madam Mei is still hoping to find her son a bride from a noble background to help elevate the status of Hanlin Mei and Young Master Mei."

Mother Liu and Jia Yuanchun were truly disgusted.

Mother Liu: "No wonder Madam Mei isn't in a rush for her son to marry; it turns out she already has a grandson to hold."

Jia Yuanchun said with loathing: "Still hoping to marry a bride from a noble background? Keep dreaming. Any family with a truly good background would never choose to become relatives with the Mei Family. Daughters are always married upward; who would ever marry downward?"

Liu Jiaying instigated: "Let's tell the Xue Family about the Mei Family's plans so they can quickly call off the engagement, and then we can arrange a marriage for Second Uncle."

Jia Yuanchun pressed down on her daughter's little head and said: "Don't be ridiculous."

Liu Jiaying wrinkled her small nose: "I'm not being ridiculous. If we don't quickly secure Second Aunt Xue for Second Uncle, are we just going to watch him be coveted by other women?"

Mother Liu and Jia Yuanchun exchanged a look.

Jia Yuanchun: "We adults will handle this matter; you little girl should stay out of it."

"How could you? I'm the one who provided you with the information; you can't just kick away the ladder after climbing it," Liu Jiaying cried out in annoyance.

Jia Yuanchun patted her head: "Your use of idioms is quite good, keep up the effort."

Liu Jiaying: "..."

That evening, Jia Yuanchun told Liu Zhong about the situation between Xue Baoqin and the Mei Family, and also shared the plans Mother Liu and she had made.

As soon as Liu Zhong heard it, he knew it must have been the work of his transmigrated daughter.

However, this arrangement wasn't bad; Xue Baoqin was beautiful and talented, making her very suitable for his younger brother, who had a penchant for good looks.

Liu Zhong: "I will mention this to your eldest brother first and have him warn the Xue Family."

Jia Yuanchun sighed: "Books say that 'righteousness is often found among the lowly, while the heartless are often among the scholars.' I didn't believe it before, but with Jia Yucun first and now Hanlin Mei, both being such ungrateful wretches, I have no choice but to believe it."